Positioning apparatus, exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method

ABSTRACT

There is provided a positioning apparatus capable of reliably and simply detecting a break of a current supply path to an actuator which drives a table. A current supply path ( 42 ) is connected between an actuator ( 2 ) for driving a stage ( 1 ) and a driver ( 3 ) for supplying a current to the actuator ( 2 ). A current detector ( 8 ) is arranged midway along the current supply path ( 42 ). The current supply path ( 42 ) has a plurality of paths. The current detector ( 8 ) detects a break of the current supply path ( 42 ) based on at least one of the plurality of paths.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a positioning apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method which are used in the process for manufacturing semiconductor devices and liquid crystal display devices.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 8 is a view showing the arrangement of a positioning apparatus used in a conventional exposure apparatus.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a stage movable on a base; 20, an actuator for positioning the stage 10; 30, a driver for supplying a current to the actuator 20; and 401 and 402, electric wires serving as current supply paths. Reference numeral 50 denotes a controller for performing servo control to position the stage 10 at a desired position.

The controller 50 outputs the target current value of the actuator 20 to the driver 30 based on the difference between the target position and position information from a position detector (not shown) arranged on the stage 10. The driver 30 has a current control circuit (not shown) and controls so that a current output follows the input target current value.

The actuator 20 is classified into two types. The first type is a moving coil type, the motor coil portion of which is arranged in its stage 10, that is, a movable portion. The second type is a moving magnet type, the motor coil portion of which is arranged in a stationary portion, and which has a stage 10 that includes a magnet portion and does not receive a current. In the moving coil type, electric wires 401 and 402 connect the movable and stationary portions. For example, in FIG. 8, the electric wire 401 is a stationary electric wire, while the electric wire 402 connects the movable portion and the stationary electric wire 401. The electric wire 402 is bent or slid upon movement of the movable portion.

When an abnormality has occurred in servo control of the controller 50 for the stage 10, the stage 10 must stop urgently. If it is impossible to interrupt servo control, a braking circuit 60 must brake the stage 10 using a non-servo control system. It is a common practice to employ a technique for braking the stage 10 by generating a motor coil current which serves as a braking force of the stage 10 upon short-circuiting of the motor coil. This braking circuit 60 is a high-voltage, large-current circuit, resulting in a large circuit board. In either the moving coil scheme or the moving magnet scheme, the braking circuit 60 is often arranged in the stationary portion.

The electric wires 401 and 402 may break due to degradation over time, and operation errors in maintenance operation. Particularly, the movable wiring portion of the moving coil motor is susceptible to degradation in strength due to repeated sliding and bending. The actuator 20 often has a plurality of motor coils for an increase in thrust and the number of axes. When one of the plurality of electric wires or the electric wires partially break, the braking force of the motor lowers.

In addition, if the electric wire between the braking circuit 60 and the motor coil portion breaks, a braking current generated by a counter-electromotive force upon short-circuiting the coil does not flow. As a result, the braking force lowers.

When the stage braking force lowers to increase a braking distance upon occurrence of an abnormality, the stage 10 may contact a neighboring structure at a high probability, and this leads to damage to the components in the neighboring structure and the stage 10.

There are available a scheme (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-16199) for detecting a break by inserting a break detection line in the outer shell of the electric wire portion which is most likely to contact the neighboring structure and break, and a scheme (Japanese Patent Laid-Open NO. 2006-318698) using a break prediction signal line more susceptible to a break than the neighboring electric wires. It is, however, difficult to specify that specific portion of the movable wiring portion repeating bending and sliding, on which a largest stress load acts. It is not always the case that the detection line breaks first.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a positioning apparatus capable of reliably and simply detecting a break of a current supply path to an actuator for driving a table.

The present invention according to one aspect provides a positioning apparatus comprising a stage movable on a base, an actuator which drives the stage, a driver which supplies a current to the actuator, a current supply path having a plurality of parallel paths connecting the driver and the actuator, and a detector which detects a break of the current supply path based on a current of at least one of the plurality of parallel paths.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view showing the arrangement of a positioning apparatus of an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a portion including a motor coil, second electric wire, and current detection board in a positioning apparatus of the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a view showing an example when the first forward electric line in the first embodiment breaks;

FIG. 4 is a view showing an example when the first backward electric line in the first embodiment breaks;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a portion including a motor coil, second electric wire, and current detection board in a positioning apparatus of the second embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a view showing an example when the first forward electric line in the second embodiment breaks;

FIG. 7 is a view showing an example when the first backward electric line in the second embodiment breaks;

FIG. 8 is a view showing the arrangement of a conventional positioning apparatus; and

FIG. 9 is a view showing the arrangement of an exposure apparatus of the third embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a view showing the arrangement of a positioning apparatus according to the first embodiment.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a stage movable on a base; and 2, an actuator which drives the stage 1 so as to position the stage 1. The actuator 2 includes a movable element 21 arranged on the stage 1 and a stator 22 fixed on the base. This structure employs a moving coil motor in which the motor coils are mounted on the movable element 21.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a driver for supplying a current to the actuator 2; and 41 and 42, first and second electric wires serving as current supply paths. The second electric wire 42 is connected between the movable portion (i.e., the stage 1) and the stationary portion. The second electric wire 42 frequently repeats bending and sliding upon movement of the stage 1. Reference numeral 5 denotes a controller for performing servo control to position the stage 1 at a desired position.

In this embodiment, the second electric wire 42 is branched into two paths midway along. More specifically, the second electric wire 42 has a plurality of routes. A current detection board 7 is arranged in the branched portion of the second electric wire 42. A braking circuit 6 is arranged between the first electric wire 41 and the second electric wire 42. When the controller 5 cannot continue servo control due to some reason and the stage 1 must stop urgently, the motor coil of the movable element 21 is short-circuited to generate a counter-electromotive force by electromagnetic induction, thereby generating a current and hence a braking force.

The actuator 2 in this embodiment comprises a single-phase coil motor. FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 are schematic views showing the portion including the motor coil, the second electric wire 42, and the current detection board 7. Midway along the second electric wire 42, the forward path is branched into a first forward electric wire 421 and a second forward electric wire 422, and the backward path is also branched into a first backward electric wire 423 and a second backward electric wire 424. The electric wires 421 to 424 have the same electric resistance in all paths. When a current I flows in the second electric wire 42, a current I/2 flows in each of the electric wires 421 to 424.

With the above arrangement, even if the first forward electric wire 421 breaks, as shown in FIG. 3, the current I can flow through the second forward electric wire 422 to continuously supply the current to the motor coil. This allows braking the stage 1. This also applies to the case in which the second forward electric wire 422 breaks, or either the first backward electric wire 423 or the second backward electric wire 424 breaks, as shown in FIG. 4.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the electric detection board 7 is arranged midway along the branched portions. The current detection board 7 includes a current detector 8 serving as a detection portion for obtaining a total current value of the second forward electric wire 422 and the first backward electric wire 423 using a Hall element and a current measurement amplifier.

When no break occurs, as shown in FIG. 2, the total current value detected by the current detector 8 is I/2−I/2=0. However, when the first forward electric wire 421 breaks, as shown in FIG. 3, the current I flows in the second forward electric wire 422, and the current I/2 is kept supplied to the first backward electric wire 423. The total current value is I−I/2=I/2.

When the first backward electric wire 423 breaks, as shown in FIG. 4, the current I/2 flows in the second forward electric wire 422, but the current flowing in the first backward electric wire 423 is zero. The total current value is I/2−0=I/2. This also applies to the case in which the second forward electric wire 422 or the second backward electric wire 424 breaks.

As described above, the total current values in the normal operation and operation upon occurrence of a break, which are detected by the current detector 8, are different from each other. This makes it possible to detect the presence/absence of a break in accordance with the total current value detected by the current detector 8.

According to this embodiment, even if a break occurs in one of the two paths each having branched paths, the current can be continuously supplied to the motor coil portion of the actuator 2. This makes it possible to brake the stage 1 and safely stop it. Even if the current paths are redundant, current detectors 8 need not be prepared for the number of systems, thereby minimizing an increase in circuit scale. Upon detection of a break, the controller informs a host system for controlling the exposure system of the occurrence of the break. Therefore, the apparatus sequence can stop, and replacement of components can be done.

Second Embodiment

The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The arrangement of a positioning apparatus of this embodiment complies with that in FIG. 1, except that a movable element 21 of an actuator 2 comprises a star-connected three-phase motor.

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 are schematic views showing a portion including the motor coil, a second electric wire 42, and a current detection board 7. The second electric wire 42 is branched into two paths for each phase midway along. The coils are defined as A-, B-, and C-phase coils. The respective phase motor coils and a driver 3 are connected via the three electric wires. Each of the three electric wires includes a plurality of paths. More specifically, the electric wire for supplying a current to the A-phase coil comprises a first A-phase electric wire 425 and a second A-phase electric wire 428. The electric wire for supplying a current to the C-phase coil comprises a first C-phase electric wire 426 and a second C-phase electric wire 429. The electric wire for supplying a current to the B-phase coil comprises a first B-phase electric wire 427 and a second B-phase electric wire 430. The electric wires 425 to 430 have almost the same electric resistance in all the paths. Letting Ia be the total current flowing through the A-phase coil, Ib be the total current flowing through the B-phase coil, and Ic be the total current flowing through the C-phase coil, a current which is ½ the total current flows through each branched path. Ia+Ib+Ic=0.

With the above arrangement, as shown in FIG. 6, even if the first A-phase electric wire 425 breaks, the current Ia can flow through the second A-phase electric wire 428 to continuously supply the current to the motor coil. This allows braking the stage 1. This also applies to the case in which one of the remaining electric wires 426 to 430 breaks.

In FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, the electric detection board 7 is arranged midway along the branched portions. The current detection board 7 includes a current detector 8 for obtaining a total current value of the paths each selected from a corresponding one of the three electric wires using an element such as a Hall element and a current measurement amplifier. In the illustrated embodiment, the current detector 8 detects the total current value of the second A-phase electric wire 428, the second C-phase electric wire 429, and the second B-phase electric wire 430.

When no break occurs, as shown in FIG. 5, the total current value detected by the current detector 8 is Ia/2+Ib/2+Ic/2=0. However, as shown in FIG. 6, when the first A-phase electric wire 425 breaks, the total current value is Ia+Ib/2+Ic/2=Ia/2 because the current Ia flows though the second A-phase electric wire 428.

When the second A-phase electric wire 428 breaks, as shown in FIG. 7, the current Ia flows through the first A-phase electric wire 425, and the value of the current flowing through the first A-phase electric wire 428 becomes zero. The total current value is Ib/2+Ic/2. This also applies to the case in which one of the remaining electric wires 426, 427, 429, and 430 breaks.

As in the first embodiment, as described above, the total current values in the normal operation and operation upon occurrence of a break, which are detected by the current detector 8, are different from each other. This makes it possible to detect the presence/absence of a break in accordance with the total current value detected by the current detector 8.

According to this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, even if a break occurs in one of the two paths each having branched paths, the current can be continuously supplied to the motor coil portion of the actuator 2. This makes it possible to brake the stage 1 and safely stop it. Even if the current paths are redundant, current detectors 8 need not be prepared for the number of systems, thereby minimizing an increase in circuit scale. Upon detection of a break, the controller informs a host system for controlling the exposure system of the occurrence of the break. Therefore, the apparatus sequence can stop, and replacement of components can be done.

In the first and second embodiments described above, the second electric wire 42 is branched into two paths. If the number of path is three or more, the same effect as described above can be obtained. If an electric wire serving as a current supply path to an actuator is branched into n paths, a current in at least one of the n paths is monitored to detect a break.

Third Embodiment

An exemplary exposure apparatus to which the positioning apparatus of the present invention is applied will now be described below.

As shown in FIG. 9, the exposure apparatus comprises an illumination device 501, a reticle stage 502 mounted with a reticle serving as a mask (photomask), a projection optical system 503, and a wafer stage 504 mounted with a wafer. The exposure apparatus projects and exposes a circuit pattern formed on the reticle onto a wafer and employs the step & repeat projection exposure scheme or step & scan projection exposure scheme.

The illumination device 501 illuminates a reticle on which a circuit pattern is formed and comprises a light source unit and illumination optical system. The light source unit comprises, for example, a laser as a light source. The laser can be an ArF excimer laser with a wavelength of about 193 nm, a KrF excimer laser with a wavelength of about 248 nm, an F₂ excimer laser with a wavelength of about 153 nm, or the like. The type of laser is not limited to an excimer laser, but a YAG laser is usable. The number of lasers is not limited to a specific one. When the light source employs a laser, a light beam shaping optical system for shaping a parallel beam from a laser source into a desired beam shape and an incoherent optical system for converting a coherent laser beam into an incoherent laser beam are preferably used. The light source usable in the light source unit is not limited to the lasers. One or a plurality of lamps such as mercury lamps or xenon lamps are usable. The illumination optical system is an optical system which illuminates a mask and includes a lens, mirror, light integrator, and stop.

The projection optical system 503 can be an optical system including only a plurality of lens elements, or an optical system (catadioptric optical system) including a plurality of lens elements and at least one concave mirror. The projection optical system 503 may be an optical system including a plurality of lens elements and a diffraction optical element (e.g., a kinoform), a total mirror type optical system, or the like.

The reticle stage 502 and the wafer stage 504 are movable by, for example, a linear motor. In the step & scan projection exposure scheme, these stages move in synchronism with each other. At least one of the wafer stage and the reticle stage includes a discrete actuator to align the reticle pattern onto the wafer. The positioning apparatus of the above embodiment is applicable to at least one of the reticle stage 502 and the reticle stage 504.

The above exposure apparatus is usable for the manufacture of a semiconductor device such as a semiconductor integrated circuit and a device with a fine pattern such as a micromachine and a thin-film magnetic head.

The device manufacturing method of the embodiment of the present invention is suitable for manufacturing a device such a semiconductor device and a liquid crystal device. This device manufacturing method can include a step of exposing a substrate applied with a photoresist to radiant energy using the above exposure apparatus, a step of developing the substrate exposed in the exposing step, and other known steps of processing the developed substrate in order to manufacture the device. While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-261247, filed Oct. 4, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 

1. A positioning apparatus comprising: a stage movable on a base; an actuator which drives said stage; a driver which supplies a current to said actuator; a current supply path having a plurality of parallel paths connecting said driver and said actuator; and a detector which detects a break of said current supply path based on a current of at least one of the plurality of parallel paths.
 2. The apparatus according to 1, wherein said actuator includes a stator arranged on said base and a movable element arranged on said stage, and said current supply path connects said movable element and said driver.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said current supply path includes a plurality of forward electric wires and a plurality of backward electric wires, and said detector detects a break of said current supply path based on a total current of at least one of said plurality of forward electric wires and at least one of said plurality of backward electric wires.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said movable element includes a coil, said stator includes a magnet, and said current supply path connects said driver and said coil.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a braking circuit which generates a braking force to the movable element using a counter-electromotive force by electromagnetic induction generated in the coil by short-circuiting the coil, wherein said braking circuit is disposed between said driver and said coil, and wherein said current supply path includes a first current supply path which connects said driver and said braking circuit, and a second current supply path which connects said braking circuit and said coil.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said movable element includes a three-phase motor in which three phase motor coils are star-connected, said current supply path includes three electric wires which connect said driver and the respective motor coils of said three-phase motor, each of said three electric wires includes a plurality of paths, and said detector detects a break of said current supply path based on a total current value of at least one path selected from each of said three electric wires.
 7. A positioning apparatus comprising: a stage; an actuator which drives said stage; a driver which supplies a current to said actuator; an electric wire which connects said driver and said actuator, said electric wire having a plurality of parallel paths between said driver and said actuator; and a detector which detects a current flowing through at least one path of the plurality of parallel path.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said actuator includes a stator and a movable element including said stage, said movable element including a coil, and said electric wire connects said coil and said driver.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said electric wire includes a plurality of forward electric wires and a plurality of backward electric wires, and said detector detects a total current of at least one of said plurality of forward electric wires and at least one of said plurality of backward electric wires.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a braking circuit which generates a braking force to the movable element using a counter-electromotive force by electromagnetic induction generated in the coil by short-circuiting the coil, wherein said braking circuit is disposed between said driver and said coil, and wherein said electric wire includes a first electric wire which connects said driver and said braking circuit, and a second electric wire which connects said braking circuit and said coil.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said movable element includes a three-phase motor in which three phase motor coils are star-connected, said current supply path include three electric wires which connect said driver and the respective motor coils of said thee-phase motor, each of said three electric wires includes a plurality of paths, and said detector detects a total current value of at least one path selected from each of said three electric wires.
 12. An exposure apparatus for projecting and exposing a pattern of a reticle placed on a reticle stage onto a wafer placed on a wafer stage, the exposure apparatus comprising a positioning apparatus which positions at least one of said reticle stage and said wafer stage, said positioning apparatus including a stage movable on a base; an actuator which drives said stage; a driver which supplies a current to said actuator; a current supply path having a plurality of parallel paths connecting said driver and said actuator; and a detector which detects a break of said current supply path based on a current of at least one of the plurality of parallel paths.
 13. A method of manufacturing a device, comprising the steps of: exposing a pattern of a reticle onto a wafer using an exposure apparatus; and developing the wafer, the exposure apparatus including a positioning apparatus which positions at least one of the reticle and the wafer, the positioning apparatus including a stage movable on a base; an actuator which drives said stage; a driver which supplies a current to said actuator; a current supply path having a plurality of parallel paths connecting said driver and said actuator; and a detector which detects a break of said current supply path based on a current of at least one of the plurality of parallel paths.
 14. An exposure apparatus for projecting and exposing a pattern of a reticle placed on a reticle stage onto a wafer placed on a wafer stage, the exposure apparatus comprising a positioning apparatus which positions at least one of said reticle stage and said wafer stage, said positioning apparatus including an actuator which drives said at least one stage; a driver which supplies a current to said actuator; an electric wire which connects said driver and said actuator, said electric wire having a plurality of parallel paths between said driver and said actuator; and a detector which detects a current flowing through at least one path of the plurality of parallel paths.
 15. A method of manufacturing a device, comprising the steps of: exposing a pattern of a reticle onto a wafer using an exposure apparatus; and developing the exposed wafer, the exposure apparatus including a positioning apparatus which positions a stage on which at least one of the reticle and the wafer is mounted, the positioning apparatus including an actuator which drives the stage; a driver which supplies a current to the actuator; an electric wire which connects the driver and the actuator, the electric wire having a plurality of parallel paths between the driver and the actuator; and a detector which detects a current flowing through at least one path of the plurality of parallel paths. 